Document - Argentina: Further information on Fear for safety/death threats

ARGENTINA Argentina: Further information on Fear for safety/death threats

PUBLIC AI Index: AMR 13/002/2007
05 February 2007

Further Information on UA 326/06 (AMR 13/008/2006, 04 December 2006) Fear for safety/death threats

ARGENTINA Maria Eva Arroyo (f)
María Luz Piérola (f), human rights activist
María Cristina Saborido (f)
Martina (f) ] her daughters
Agustina (f) ]
Dozens of others

New names: María Cristina Saborido's son
Her daughter Martina's boyfriend

María Cristina Saborido and her family have received new death threats. Their lives are in renewed danger.
There is no information on further threats to María Eva Arroyo or María Luz Piérola.

On 20 January María Cristina Saborido and her daughter Agustina both received an identical email, which said, una fosa mas, vos desidis a quien metemos a tu yerno a tu hijo, lo agarramos una ves, lo agarramos por ultima vez, un desaparecido de mierda mas zurda putae (sic) ("one more grave, you decide who we shall put inside, your son-in-law, your son, we got him once we will get him for the last time, one more shitty disappeared, lefty bitch"). The "son-in-law" is believed to be the boyfriend of María Cristina Saborido's daughter Martina, who was attacked with a knife in October. María Cristina Saborido sent a copy of the email to the Minister of Interior, together with a letter in which she said that he, the president and the governor of Buenos Aires province would be responsible if anything happened to her or her family. She also presented judicial complaints before Federal Courts 1 and 2 (Juzgado Federal 1 y Juzgado Federal 2). These should have led to an investigation of the death threat, but none is known to have taken place, and Maria Cristina Saborido and her family have not yet received any official protection.

María Cristina Saborido was held at a secret detention centre in Buenos Aires province known as el Pozo de Banfield ("Banfield Well") in July 1977. She and her daughters have been threatened before and her daughter Martina’s boyfriend was attacked in October 2006. Police protection at their home was granted for a while and then withdrawn.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Argentine government told Amnesty International in November 2006 that they had set up a National Plan to protect witnesses and plaintiffs in trials of those accused of human rights violations during the military government, and that it will be supervised by the National Human Rights Secretariat. Several trials have begun around the country since June 2005, when the 1986 Full Stop Law (Ley de Punto Final) and the Due Obedience Law (Ley de Obediencia Debida) of 1987, which protected the security forces from prosecution, were declared null and void.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in Spanish or your own language:
- expressing concern at reports that María Cristina Saborido and her family have been threatened again;
- urging the authorities to put into effect the relevant provisions of the National Plan to protect victims and witnesses, to protect María Cristina Saborido and her family, according to their wishes
- calling on the authorities to publicly condemn the threats and attacks suffered by María Cristina Saborido and the others named above (naming them);
- urging the authorities to exhaustively investigate these complaints of threats and attacks, and to bring those responsible to justice.

APPEALS TO:
Governor of Buenos Aires Province
Gobernador de la Provincia de Buenos Aires
Sr. Felipe Solá, Casa de Gobierno, Calle 6 Entre 51/53, 1900 La Plata, Prov. Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA
Fax: +54 221 429 4189
Salutation: Sr. Gobernador/Dear Governor

Minister of Interior
Ministro del Interior
Sr. Aníbal Fernández
Ministerio del Interior, 25 de Mayo 101/145, 1002 Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA
Fax: +54 11 4345 3336
Salutation: Sr. Ministro/Dear Minister

Foreign Minister
Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores
Sr Jorge Enrique Taiana
Ministério Del Exterior, Esmeralda 1212, 1007 Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA
Fax: +54 11 4819 7324
Salutation: Sr. Ministro/Dear Minister

COPIES TO:

Government Human Rights Secretariat
Secretaría de Derechos Humanos
Ministerio de Justicia y Derechos Humanos
Sr. Secretario de Derechos Humanos
Dr. Eduardo Luis Duhalde
25 de Mayo 552 8°
Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA
Fax: +54 11 4312 6590
Salutation: Sr. Secretario/Mr Secretary

and to diplomatic representatives of Argentina accredited to your country.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 19 March 2007.********



Amnesty International, International Secretariat, 1 Easton Street, WC1X 0DW, London, United Kingdom

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